Electric signaling mailbox



March 8, 1949. o. A. FAUL'KENBURY ET AL 2,463,957

ELECIRI C S IGNALING MAILBOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13, 1946 ,7 0/146 6? 5/04 165N607?! *Mcuw M26 warm me) March 8, 1949. 5. A. FAULKENBURY ET AL 2,463,957

ELECTRIC SIGNALING MAILBOX Filed Feb. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors Patented Mar. 8, 1949 ELECTRIC SIGNALING MAILBOX Owen A. Faulkenbury and Nellie Mae Faulkenbury, Independence, Kans.

Application February 13, 1946,, Serial No. 647,262

1 Claim.

L'his invention relates to improvements in mail boxes, and more particularly to an electric signaling mail box which will indicate both Visually and audibly when mail; is place in the mail box.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved mail box equipped with means for autoiii tically signaling and indicating to the resident when mail is placed in the mail box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mail box with a plurality of switch mechanisms operable by movement of the hinged box top and electrically connected to a visual and audible signal, to indicate at a point remote from the mail box when mail is placed within the boX.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elcc signaling mail box with visual and audible signaling means set into operation by the mailman when he places mail in the box, said audible signaling device being rendered silent when the lid of the mail box is closed after mail has been deposited in the box, and the visual signal remaining in operation until the resident removes th mail from the mail box and closes the top thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved electric signaling mail box which will be highl efiicient in operation, and which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mail box showing the switch mechanisms and interconnected signaling devices operable by said switch mechanisms;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the mail box with top or lid closed;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the mail box with the top or lid raised, and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the electric hook-up for the signaling apparatus and switches for controlling the same.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a mail box having a body portion I, and a closure lid or cover '2 hinged at 3 to the box top and extending forwardly at an angle to close said box.

A switch supporting bracket 4 is secured to the inner surface of the rear wall of said body portion i, and supports a single acting switch 5 and a double acting intermittently operated switch it, said switches being provided with the upwardly extending switch actuating buttons 1 and 8, respectively. The cover or lid 2 for the mail box body E is adapted to depress the buttons I and 8, when the cover is closed, and the switch 5 is adapted to close a circuit each time the cover is raised, andopen the circuit when the cover is closed.

The switch 6 is in a circuit open position when the cover 2 is initially raised, and remains in a circuit open position until the cover 2 is closed whereupon the same is actuated to a circuit closing position. After the cover 2 is again raised, the closing of the cover 2 will open the circuit. It is noted that the cover or lid 2 will alternately actuate the switch 6 to a circuit open and a circuit closing position upon successive closing movements of the cover 2.

The mail box I Will be placed on the front of a house near a door, or in any desired location, then the switches 5 and 6 in the box will be electrically connected to a signalling device located in the interior of the house, preferably in the kitchen thereof.

The signallingapparatus will be mounted on a panel or in a box 9, and will include a stepdown transformer ID, preferably of the chime signal operating type, a bell it or buzzer, and an electric light bulb l2 supported in a socket I3. The transformer will be connected by means of the conductor I 4 to a source of electric current supply (not shown), and several circuits will be made as follows: a conductor IE will lead from the bell I l to the transformer ID, and a conductor It will lead from the same terminal on the transformer H] to the electric socket i3. A conductor 1'] will connect the other terminal of the transformer I l) to the switch 6. The conductor l8 will be connected between the terminal of the switch 5 to the second terminal of the bell II, and a conductor !9 will be connected between the second terminal on the socket it to the sec-- ond terminal of the switch 6. The second terminal of the switch 5 will be connected to the connector ll, thereby completing the wiring circuits.

The mode of operation of the improved electric signaling mail box will be as follows: Assuming that the mail box is installed on the exterior of a dwelling and that the signaling apparatus is installed inside the dwelling and electrically connected with the mail box, the mailman, when he has mail to deposit Within the box, will lift the top thereof, permitting the spring urged button I of the switch 5 to extend outwardly in its normal position completing the circuit to the sound alarm or bell H. The push button 8 for the switch 6 during the first raising of the lid 2 is in a circuit open position and the light bulb I2 is not illuminated. When the mailman closes the lid 2 the said lid will force the spring urged button 1 of the switch 5 to a retracted position, the circuit to the bell will be open and the bell will not sound. During this closing of the lid 2 by the mailman, the push button 8 of the switch 6 will be depressed to actuate the switch 6 to a circuit closing position and the light bulb l2 will be illuminated.

The resident of the dwelling equipped with the electric signalling mail box will hear the ringing of the bell, if present at the time the lid is originally raised, or will observe the illuminated light bulb i2 when the mailman closes the'lid after placing mail therein. The resident will then raise the lid to remove the mail therefrom which will effect a circuit closing position for each of the switches 5 and, 6 and both the light bulb l2 and bell M will be actuated to produce a visual and a sound alarm which will be immediately stopped as the resident closes the lid since the lid will then depress the buttons 1 and a and both switches 5 and 6 will be in a circuit open position.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An electric signalling mail box comprising a body having a hinged lid, a single acting switch carried by the body, a, double acting intermittently operated switch carried by the body, said switches being operable by the lid, an electric visual signal, a circuit between the visual signal and one of said switches, an electric sound signal, a further circuit between the sound signal and said remaining switch, and means for energizing said circuits, said single acting switch being in a circuit closing position upon opening of the lid and held in a circuit open position upon closing of the lid, said double acting intermittently operated switch being alternately actuated to a circuit open position and a circuit closing position upon successive closing movements of the lid.

OWEN A. FAULKENBURY.

NELLIE MAE FAULKENBURY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,976,117 Cassel Oct. 9, 1934 2,346,889 Wullschleger Apr. 18, 1944 

